As mankind becomes more dependent upon electric power, more ways of producing electricity need to be developed. Coal, oil and natural gas are depletable fossil fuels which produce air pollution. In addition, these limited fossil fuels only exist in finite quantities. Nuclear power plants are associated with tremendous waste disposal problems.
This invention enables us to utilize the energy of the waves which exist atop the surfaces of oceans and large lakes. Those waves can raise buoyant racks, thereby driving pumps which can lift water for generating hydroelectric power.
Accordingly there is a need in the art for a system which would allow mankind to harness the energy from the waves on the surfaces of oceans and lakes in order to produce clean and non-polluting electric power in large quantitites.
This invention relates to a buoyant rack to which pawls are attached, or to a rack with standard teeth while the pawls are connected to the ratchet gear which drives the pump.
As one preferred arrangement, a water pumping system used in this invention may be of the type described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 081267,028 filed Jun. 21, 1994 by Kenneth Freelain. This U.S. patent application is entirely incorporated herein for reference. Other suitable water pumping systems, electricity generating systems and the like may be utilized without departing from the invention.